Soccer broadcaster Bill McDermott, a former SLU soccer player who’s called international soccer on KMOX, says there’s been a lot of head-scratching nationally about why St. Louis doesn’t have a soccer presence.

“This is a great opportunity—a wonderful opportunity—for St. Louis to exercise some of its pedigree and history and tradition by getting back on the national soccer map,” he says.

The United Soccer Leagues team will play at the St. Louis Soccer Park (formerly known as the Anheuser-Busch Center), and has the backing of World Wide Technology, Inc. executives.

McDermott says their support is part of the reason this team could succeed when AC St. Louis failed in 2010.

“This one’s a different scenario in that there is a really thorough, solid monetary foundation in the background,” he says.

McDermott says success with this could lead to bigger things.

“If, someday, somehow, an NSL expansion team comes along, you will have to build a bigger, soccer-specific venue,” he says. “But right now, for USL PRO, the St. Louis Soccer Park is an ideal situation.”

The unnamed team will hit the pitch next year. McDermott says it could be an affiliate of the Chicago Fire.